Dark Horse
by claws2501
Summary: Ruth gets dragged back from cyprus and comes face to face with Harry and someone from her past, someone she thought of everyday but had never considered meeting again...Lucas meanwhile struggles with his own past someone unexpected has turned up on the grid...someone who had helped him in his darkest days in Russia... pairings: RuthxHarry LucasxRuth, and a slight hint of OlegxLucas
1. Chapter 1

**So this is my first spooks fanfiction and I wrote this literally years ago and so the type of universe it is in is a little mixed up and I added a totally new chapter just because of KUDOS deciding Lucas isn't really Lucas. **

**It is set in series 8, however Ruth Evershed is was not brought back from Cyprus because of Harry's imprisonment...more on that later... the coupling for this story is RuthxHarry and, more importantly... RuthxLucas/John (I don't like John as a character either but I have a habit for writing things I don't agree with...**

**So please read and enjoy knowing that I was inspired to actually publish this by one of my tumblr fans (spooksgirlclaws is my tumblr blog if anyone is interested)... please read and review as I love reviews...**

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**Dark Horse: Chapter 1**

Prologe- Malaga 1990

The music was pounding, the words lost under the heavy bass speakers, the lights: bouncing around highlighting different areas of the club as people pushed around for space on the dance floor. John and his friends followed the crowd into the main atrium. John felt a tap on the shoulder and he leaned in to listen to what his best friend: Lucas.

"This is it" He practically yelled in his ear causing John to smile, two long years of no holidays studying and finally the gang was out the other side and enjoying their last summer together by kicking it off with two weeks in the party capital of Europe: Malaga. His other friends were starting to push forward propelling themselves to the bar and John couldn't help his smile grow wider. They were mere hours into their trip and already it was in full swing exactly how they had planned it: party, fun and, of course, alcohol.

"Come on then" John shouted back at his friend as they pushed through the dance floor. The two of them were young and at the school they were considered at their school at least to be physically attractive so it wasn't a surprise that soon John lost Lucas in the thong, his mate following a blonde girl to the other side of the club. That was another advantage the group: both John and Lucas had taken a language each at A-level. Not deterred by Lucas's absence John pushed himself to the bar, using his height and build to push through a group of guys to come to a stop behind a group of females dressed in pink with badges displaying one of the group's face. Hen party John thought to himself barely paying any attention as he ordered himself a jack and coke leaning over the bar and practically yelling and the alarmingly short bar tender pushing some euros towards him.

"Aren't you going to get us a drink then?" John turned around, a tap of the shoulder giving him a sense of direction in the darkened club to the female who had asked him. Part of the hen party John saw before correcting himself matching the light brunette girl to the faces on the badges: the hen of the hen party. He glanced over the other girls in slight distain before his eyes rested on the eldest of the group, her dark brown hair covering up her petite face, she was clearly not the most confident of the group but as she looked up John gasped. She wasn't stunning, not exactly a cheap bird like a lot in the club but she held some sort of power of John that he couldn't describe. Intrigued he glanced at the person who had originally spoken, she had folded her arms clearly not happy at the way he had been surveying them. Smiling he bent down towards her and yelled into her ear.

"What would your group like?" Despite the close proximity to the hen his eyes were still surveying the brunette, taking in her garments: the way her dress stopped just above her knee and the fact she wasn't wearing the new craze of killer heels. She almost certainly wasn't John's type of girl. So why was she capturing him so much? The girl had yelled out their order but as the tempo of the music changed he missed it and panicked, deciding to order blindly to the bar tender who had by this time returned with his Jack and Coke. He felt rather than heard the brunette snicker and blushed has he realized he had been caught out by her. Stop it John…Pull yourself together. In and out that's what they were doing, most of the lads had girlfriends so they were being very careful about everything from decent behaviour (Maya certainly did not want any tattoos on him!) to lack of real phone numbers. He turned back, minus a few more euros to the group of women, all of who were looking at him expectedly. He desperately looked around for his two other friends: Max and Steve and spied them further down failing to grab a group of girls attentions. He smiled: John Bateman to the rescue. He put his mouth back near chief hen's ear.

"Would you and your group like to follow me?" he looked towards his mates who by this time had given up and staring open mouthed at him, he rolled his eyes at the goldfish syndrome. The ladies followed his gaze and very quickly nodded. Chief hen leaned towards his ear and spoke, her voice playful as she yelled back.

"Yeah, ok". They filed past John going towards Max and Steve who were still standing there now looking vaguely alarmed. The brunette passed, eyes downcast, it was clearly not her choice of day out and that alarmed John caught hold of her upper arm causing her to look up somewhat alarmed. He pulled towards her.

"What is your name?" he yelled hoping that the northern traits were well and truly hidden from her ears. She visibly relaxed and John breathed a huge sigh of relief.

"Ruth" she all but whispered back but John didn't miss a word, he wanted to grasp her full attention, a quick glance at his friends told him that Lucas had rejoined the group…alone. Clearly John had actually picked the girls for that night, but they were staring at him, trying to see him in the throng of people trying to work out why he was paying attention to the woman in front of him: Ruth. John looked her up and down again, she was beautiful, not pretty or hot like the other girls he would have gone for, but she was attractive.

"Well Ruth…" John said trying to get as close to her as possible without seeming to be pervy. She looked around to him and his breath caught as he felt and heard her breathing. He knew she was looking at her friends for inspiration and he waited, shielding them amongst the sheer volume of people.

"Would you like to dance?" Ruth finally asked, John missed it, not because he wasn't listening but over the beat of the speakers her little mouse voice was just too quiet.

"What?" he yelled back cursing as she seemed to shrink back and glance back at her mates, it seemed they were playing on her side as she repeated what she said before but a little louder.

"Do you want to dance?" she yelled back and John let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding. John pull it together he thought as he attempted to gather his scattered wits. He nodded but allowed his actions to speak for him as he took her by the waist and guided her towards the floor. It was packed and the smell of sweatiness was worse, John automatically started swaying to the music, trying to lead Ruth on with confidence she picked up on it and faced him. He leaned in to her.

"Let go! Enjoy the night and follow me!" he cried out to her, the dance floor was packed and bodies were pressing in on all sites, it was easy the dance was more like a sway due to the lack of room. Ruth faced him and began following the tempo. John leaded in again. "I'm John," he yelled at her, taking advantage of the closeness by sliding his arms around her, when she didn't react he turned her around to face the live music that was going on. She nodded and then leaned backwards, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Where are you from John?" it was an honest question but as he mind flashed over the northern area which he had grown up in he felt a strange compulsion to not tell the truth.

"North of England" he replied, practicably John felt a slight shift in her body, not quite tenseness but not quite the relaxed shy girl from before. He felt a need to defend himself. "I'm studying at university in London in September" he yelled again, his body shifting as the music changed once more forcing Ruth to catch up. The woman really didn't know anything about life. "And you?" he yelled fearing the end of the conversation as he enjoyed the closeness.

"Translator" She said shortly, her body was dripping from the heat, and John through a short thought to the state of his own shirt but discounted it waiting for Ruth to supply more information. "I'm a translator for the hotel". John felt himself smile and look up towards the ceiling of the….

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Russia- 2005

Lucas opened his eyes, the ceiling above him was dank, and an off white colour, the walls around him were tiled and the mould was the only supply of colour to the otherwise empty cell. The ceiling was close, closer because of him standing on a chair. Closer because of his shirt that hung down from the ceiling, taunting him… _Ruth_…. He had thought of her more and more through his jail sentence. He had told Oleg about her, spoke of how they had swapped phone numbers, of walks down the beach. Those were the wrong answers though, Ruth was not sugar horse… but in moments of quiet when his interrogator was alone with him, when he didn't want to know about sugar horse. That's when he had promised to find her, to help Lucas reunite with her…. _Ruth…_ He closed his eyes again slowly counting the last moments of his life away, his legs shaking as he tightened the shirt around the neck, he opened his eyes again… _Ruth…_ then he heard foot steps, his footsteps. He heard a call and arms wrap around his waist tugging at him…_Ruth…_but these hands were too strong compared to the mouse of a girl. The hands, the cry, they were in the distance as Lucas dumbly sat down accepting hug after hug from Oleg his mind only comprehended one word…_Ruth…_

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**Please review! Just to let me know if it is worth continuing or not. If you think the night club scene was poor I would like to emphasise I have never ever been to a nightclub and so watched man different commercials for night clubs and asked some friends. I based the descriptions on the data collected. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the next instalment for Dark Horse. But first a few responses to my reviews, thanks to each and everyone of who reviewed, and those that just read it as the fact someone actually wants to read my story really brightens my day. **

**Guest 1- Thanks, I think a lot of people are not sure about the dynamic either but I always felt there was something about them, some kind of chemistry that was there. A little different from the other Ruth fictions but please bear with it.**

**Rosetintedblindspot- Thank you for reading I was really unsure about how to begin the story so it is great that you liked it!**

**Guest 2- Believe it or not I too am hooked to this story!**

**Wolfdrum- Oh Harry is going to be jealous all right! But first he has to work out what is going on :)**

**Guest 3- Read on and find out.**

**Guest 4- Hopefully you will like this chapter more?**

**Velocity Girl1980- I PM'd you**

**Enjoy the next instalment and don't forget to review!**

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**Dark Horse: Chapter two**

Oleg clung onto Lucas as he guided him back towards his cell, it was late but that wasn't an excuse to stop interrogating such a prize asset as Lucas. The door creaked open as Oleg pushed him in, Lucas looked up at him causing Oleg's face to crack. Those eyes that had once been so bright and blue were now dull, the blue fading almost to grey, his hair was sleek with grease: the integrators hadn't let him have his shower that month. His limbs were shaking as he crumpled against wall staring at Oleg in expectation. He knew what was next he happened each night when interrogations went past lights out: when there were very few guards, possibly because they were down the town or in the bar reserved for those of a certain rank.

"You weren't very well behaved today were you?" Oleg spoke in his own dialect; Lucas could understand it and he didn't like dirtying his tongue with the same language of his prisoner. Lucas just stared at him watching as Oleg approached him and, reaching out with a hand began to trace the pattern of the ship branded on Lucas's arm…

Lucas woke up, still feeling the sensation of tracing of his tattoos, his scars; he turned around and came face to face with his lover Sarah Caulfield. He smiled slightly as she blushed from being caught out.

"Sorry" she murmured her American accent dripping with sarcasm, Lucas acknowledged it bringing his arm over to cup her face, she backed away from it causing him to frown. "Who's Ruth?" She asked timidly cowering away from him. Lucas froze trying to recall all of his dreams last night but only thinking of Russia, he flinched.

"No one" he replied steadily looking at her with his bright blue eyes. "Just an op we have on at the moment" he lied flippantly, it worked as Sarah eyed him once more but with humor on her face.

"Really Lucas?" she said "You really need to stop taking your work home with you." She leaned in to kiss him, and as Lucas kissed her back his thoughts were scattered, her question had made him think of his repetitive dream of his ex interrogator, why suddenly after two years of recovery was he coming back to haunt him? But more importantly for Lucas, who prided himself with his photographic memory: what dreams couldn't he remember? He looked over at him phone as it flashed up an alert from his boss of an early meeting. He groaned loudly showing the screen to Sarah who also expelled a noise close to the resentment he currently was showing for his boss. The moment the couple had shared was gone. Lucas climbed of bed having a feeling it was going to be a very long day.

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Thames House

The pods whooshed open as Lucas stepped out, back straight casually asserting his authority. He did not like the fact that, despite proving his loyalty time and time again there were those that felt the need to talk about him and to snidely ask if he had seen any Russians. He smiled up at Harry, but one look at his ashen face caused him to drop his eyes to the ground. Yes…definitely a long day he thought to himself as he briskly walked the short distance to his desk glancing at Ross who was peering over at a computer monitor looking at some kind of CCTV.

"From someone nice?" She asked, contempt dripping from every word despite barely looking up from the computer monitor she was still able to be the Ice Queen of the century. Lucas looked puzzled at his desk, picking up the small bouquet of flowers he glanced at the card, almost dropping it as he read the word 'grebe'.

"Not particularly" he replied slipping the card into his jacket pocket wondering exactly what he was going to do.

"Good" Ros replied shortly finally ripping her eyes away from the video she was replaying on her laptop. "Have a look at this" she started moving out of the way allowing Lucas access to the monitor.

"Last night there was a riot at a immigration detention center in the Czech Republic" Harry stated, the worry in his voice emphasizing his Yorkshire roots, he like Lucas didn't like displaying their northern heritage. "One detainee dead, and one escaped". He was eyeing Lucas up in a way that caused the field officer to think there was something more to this, something that had caused Harry to take an eye on it. Lucas's hand tightened around the card in his pocket.

"That's hardly a job for…" Lucas began but was cut off by Ros.

"This man was the one that escaped" she declared, pushing a few buttons on her keyboard, the software quickly zoomed in on a man of broad build, his face turned from the camera as he was running up the stairs. Lucas pushed himself to get closer to the monitor desperate to know his initially preconceptions were wrong.

"He came into the country with a Hungarian passport and no Visa" Harry supplied, not looking at the screen but at Lucas, he knew why six had pushed the op on to them, and it wasn't due to the evidence that the man was heading to the UK.

"Now watch this" Ros stated slowing the video down and playing it in real time, Lucas felt his heart quicken as he saw the man stare up at the camera, he blinked a couple of times as he felt every fiber of his being come alive with fear and adrenaline. Even from through a screen Lucas had to reign in his wild emotions that wanted him to run, but away from the man or to him Lucas wasn't sure. All three of them stared at the screen as the man repeated two words over and over, he knew he was being watched and he wanted to get a message across.

"What's he saying?" Harry asked, he had already watched the video and knew exactly what it was but he wanted Lucas to come out of himself, he watched the younger man carefully as he dry swallowed, his thoughts clearly somewhere that wasn't the grid. Lucas leaned forward pressing reply on the small section of the tape, needing to see it again before he could believe it.

"I think its someone's name" Harry prompted, still studying his field agent carefully. Ros was watching the two of them not missing the exchange, she knew that Harry was more than aware of what was going on, what she didn't understand was the level of intensity that was being shared between her line manager and her subordinate.

"Who's?" she prompted hoping that it would push the two of them into realizing she needed the information too. Her voice was neutral as she tried to calmly assess the level of destruction that this latest operation might have on the team. Lucas pushed himself further towards the screen as if trying to climb into it and into the detention center beyond it.

"Mine" he simply stated moving back from the screen and fishing the small card from the flowers out of his pocket rubbing a hand over his face. Ros saw Harry nod and his face colour with the look of relief.

"Who is he Lucas?" Harry asked, it was a casual prompt and Ros was suddenly aware that maybe this unknown man was from Lucas's past…from Russia. Lucas in answer threw the card down in front of them, the neat handwriting clear to all that saw it. Ros frowned; it was obviously part of some kind of code.

"Grebe" Lucas stated, emotion coloured his voice, there was fear tinged with something else, regret maybe.

"Lucas…"Ros stated clearly concerned, Lucas was a good field agent and rarely had she ever seen the younger man so agitated and emotional. Harry's eyes were flicking between the two of them.

"Oleg Desharven" Lucas simply stated glowering at the computer screen his muscles tense as he tried to process the knowledge that his ex-interrogator was no longer in Russia, no longer in Russia and coming after him. Ros and Harry stared at him watching as he slowly pieced together bits of some unseen jigsaw puzzle. It seemed the atmosphere in the room was thickening but was quickly dispelled by a whoosh from the pods as Jo stepped in, pausing only to put her things under her desk she hurried over to the small gathering standing slightly behind Ros remaining silent.

The cell was dark but he could smell the breath of the man close to him, smell his precipitation, and hear his quickened breathing, quick because what he was doing was forbidden and quicker still because of him, the prisoner.

"Sugar Horse" Desharven stated and Lucas let out an expelled breath causing the other man to flinch. Not brushing his teeth had that effect.

"I don't know" Lucas murmured and then he screamed, throwing his head back and screaming because that was what he could do, that was all he had been allowed to do… He stopped and he felt relief has the other man stroked his neck shushing his crying with whispers of comfort.

Lucas blinked and moved away from the group, very much aware that they were watching him at his most vulnerable. He kept turned away from them counting breaths as he began to talk.

"He was a Russian military officer, decorated for bravery in Afghanistan, his reward was to be tasked with being head interrogator of Lushanka prison 2004 to present day". Jo processed the information faster than Ros.

"Tasked with interrogating you?" she asked as the group followed Lucas into the briefing room. As he crossed the threshold he was able to shake himself up, straighten his back and think a little more clearly…_Ruth…_why his mind flicked to her at this moment he didn't know, but he felt the need to think about her and their nights more than ever. She helped him through Russia she would help him through his latest trauma.

"What is he doing in Czech Republic then?" Ros asked curious as to how well Lucas would know the man.

"He's coming to find me" Lucas said simply, his voice hiding the ranging emotional storm he was currently going through, taking in their confusion he decided to elaborate. "That's what Grebe means, it's a bird," he sighed once more sitting down so that the big oval table can hide his shaking limbs that were the only thing that betrayed his fears. "Lushanka was surrounded by marshland" he paused trying desperately not to think of the moments he had seen his integrator in a different light. "He used to take me walking between sessions and I used to talk about England..." _and Ruth…_ he added silently. "He used to joke that we would one day stand by the Tilbury water tower and bird watch together". He finished looking around at the team, as they processed what they had heard, not from a threat to the country level but as a direct threat to the team. That was wrong Lucas thought, a fierce need to defend the man flashed through his already worn body. The man was not evil he was doing his job, he didn't want Lucas dead he…_Ruth…_His eyes found an inconsistency in the paint on the wall and he glared at it consuming his mind with the picture of the wall to try and deter him from thinking about anything else…

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Pollis- Cyprus

Ruth looked up from the fish she was currently hacking at, she had never been much of a cook but since moving in with her soon to be husband she had been making more of an effort. Despite being a bad cook she was still the best in her little family. She looked up to see her stepson: Niko dive into the swimming pool of their villa. He was only 8 and was looking forward to the life ahead of him, as was Ruth. London at this point seemed further away than it did when she had first come to Cyprus. Counting to three she shielded herself as Niko, who had since climbed out of the pool jumped back in.

"Niko!" she exclaimed laughing as the little boy bobbed up from the water. She heard laughing behind her and turned to her fiancée.

"We don't have any wine" she states looking around the table keeping her eyes away from the hacked fish, it's eyes accusing her of causing him some kind of insult despite it being dead.

"Sure we do" he replied looking in the direction of the house.

"No we don't" Ruth affirmed, "We finished that bottle off yesterday". She rolled her eyes at his forgetfulness.

"Do you think it is ok to let Nico go?" he laughed as he glanced at the sun, it was close to late afternoon and very soon it would be dark. She laughed as her fiancée defended himself "After all what's the point in children if they can't do stuff for us" he smiled. Ruth rolled her eyes putting down the knife she holding and glaring at the fish.

"I'll go" she called moving into the house to find more appropriate attire for the market. She glanced at the draw that held her passport, something about the draw drew her nearer and as she opened it she felt compelled to slip her British passport into her handbag. She closed her eyes her mind drifting back to her old life… _John…_ The thought startled her that was a name she hadn't even thought of in a long time. Why now? She shook herself and hurried out of the door quickly hailing the bus to the market place.

She drifted around the market it was close to closing time and already the traders were getting desperate to call the last dibs on the few residents that were still milling around or, like her just arriving for a late shop of a few forgotten items. She turned a side street, a short cut to the nearest wine store that she had found within weeks of setting up home in the town. She glanced behind her out of habit, even after this many years it was difficult not to think that she had been found, that Harry had been compromised. That was when she saw a man looking intently at her, following her. She carried on walking taking deep calm breaths and forcing her body not to quicken up. She had no idea who he was but a quick glance had told her he had a similar complexion to someone who had lived in a cold environment, a harsh environment. Instinct told her he was not from the UK. She heard the footsteps get closer and she forced her body to only go to a brisk walk, trying to keep from running as she neared the next main street.

"Stop!" the man called out in his own language… Russian, and Ruth let out a breath, she had been right this man was not MI-5, that didn't calm her down but it did let her know that Harry was still secure. She stopped and turned around trying to adopt the nature of a scared rabbit.

"What is it?" she replied, faking the haltingness of her Russian. Ruth did not falter on any of the languages she had learnt.

"Ruth Evershed?" the man asked his expression wasn't contempt but mere curiosity, as if he was contemplating her from a description he had heard. She cursed herself for turning around. She glanced back to the high street, but as she turned back to the man her breath caught in her throat: a gun.

"Who are you?" she asked again in halting Russian nothing he was smiling at her, she felt her heart drop to the cobblestone floor below her. The man knew exactly who she was and knew she could speak Russian better than she was making out.

"A friend of a friend" he stated, and her mind flashed back to Harry she almost wailed at the thought of him knowing this man. She just couldn't picture it, her analytical mind that MI5 had so prized kicked into action and she knew she was missing a piece of the puzzle.

"Harry…" she stated trying to draw a reaction, despite her raging emotions she was watching the man very intently. The man next to her laughed.

"Lucas North" he stated and now it was Ruth's turn to be confused, he had the wrong woman. She turned back to the now quiet main street her whole body tensing to make a run for it. The name had sounded familiar but it was too distant for the man to be telling the truth. This realization caused her to understand just a small fraction of the danger she was in. "Don't run" the man commanded and as Ruth turned back to him she missed the three men dragging her down the alley. She switched to full out panic mode.

"Let go of me," she screamed trying to catch someone with her flaying fists. The three men were too big for her but they paused the man to come up close to her, close enough for her to feel his breath on her face. She started feeling sick, her head swam as it drew her to a different time and place, the sweaty man to close to her reminding her too much of her step brother. She heard the man tut in disappointment. "Lucas will be very upset to hear you don't know him" he stated in good English and that was all Ruth remembered as her vision gave way to darkness.

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**Thanks and don't forget to read and review...**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi guys,**

**So I was a little unsure with this next instalment, it is more just a filler to the next bit and I shall probs change it at some stage later on into the story. I am also aware I have not included much Ruth in it...but don't worry that shall come in the next chapter :)**

**Right so answering of the reviews, thanks to all those that offered their advice its great people take the time out to critique...Also a big thanks to all those that want to know what happens next I shall go through them all individually:**

**Batteredpen- Thank you, I hope this next chapter is just as good as the last two, I know its a little different and I am hoping that it shall intrigue readers as Ruth and Lucas are undoubtedly pulled together. How will Harry cope I wonder? **

**Velocity Girl1980- Thank you, having not paid much attention to Ruth as a character (and having to re-watch the series as the original script for this really wasn't very well written), I am pleased that I captured even a small amount of what Ruth would have done in a situation like this.**

**NatesDate- I know, I cannot belief I made such as howler, my only defence is that listening to my friends on the nightclub scene they consistently mentioned Facebook, I completely forgot the lack of it when Lucas was on the party scene! I have since rectified the blooper along with some basic lack of information in terms of Lucas's incarceration. I hope chapter 3 is as good as you said chapter 2 was :) thank you**

**Guest 1- here you go I hope it is what you were hoping for (or not because otherwise it would be a predicable story!)**

**rosetintedblindspot- I do am very interested in the LucasXRuth dynamic. Having almost no other fan fiction to draw off from I am slightly terrified of the stepping out and doing something different if you see what I mean. **

**Thanks reviewers and those that read and do not review to! Please let me know what you think of the latest instalment...**

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**Dark Horse: Chapter 3**

"I am not delivering you into an FSB trap" Harry's accent cutting through Lucas's concentration causing him to look up startled. He slowly gazes at Harry trying to process this latest bit of information. He wanted to meet Oleg, he didn't know why but something was causing him to throw caution to the winds, the other half, his slightly more rational half agreed with Harry. He grappled internally trying to find a logical position to stand, he carefully started to reply, and his eyes flicking between Ros, Jo and Harry trying to assess what they were thinking.

"If Oleg is coming to the UK without FSB approval…" He paused trying to give himself chance to think, Ros took the advantage.

"We don't know that!" She cut in, Jo nodded in agreement behind her. Lucas smiled slightly; he had forced a response and knew that, even if this wasn't the correct one his mind, it was working at fooling the team. He changed his direction of thought desperately getting his whole brain behind this, in his mind: random, reasoning.

"But if he is" Lucas said again, pausing as he took in Harry's narrowed eyes causing Lucas to duck his head slightly, he knew nothing would get part his old mentor and spymaster.

"We do not know what he has been approved of" Harry says, Lucas looked at Ros, his eyes boring into hers before flicking to Jo, he had read her file and knew what she had been through with the Redbacks, she of all people would have some vague grasp of why he needs to meet him. Jo looks at Lucas and the older field officer could see the younger female grappling with her own emotions, Ros and Harry on the outside looking in had no idea of the level of emotions passing through the two colleagues. Finally Jo closed her eyes and counted to three while Lucas leaned back in his chair somewhat satisfied.

"Harry" everyone looked at her and the younger spooks swallowed nervously hoping that her gut instinct was right, for whatever reason (and Jo could think of a few) Lucas wanted to meet Desharven, she knew what that felt like and how badly she had wanted to see her previous captor face to face. That was when she had been out of control, now… now she wanted nothing to do with the man. That was where her problem lay: give in to a clearly out of control former prisoner or not. "If Desharven is chief interrogator he would have interviewed Russian dissidents, al-Qaeda suspects…" she paused looking up to the curiously puzzled expression of her section chief and the thunderous anger of her section boss, she looked back down, Harry knew exactly what was happening and he wasn't liking it one bit. She closed her eyes again trying not to flash back to when Adam had held her…not back to that house…_breath Jo_. "He would be our biggest catch in a twenty years". She looked up again to find Ros nodding in clear approval of the reasoning. Harry was meanwhile staring at Lucas.

"Go brush yourself up" he says finally, causing the younger man to look up, Harry sighed, everyone had been there at one stage, he just hoped that Lucas could keep a handle on his feelings. "You can meet him with back up". Lucas meets his gaze grappling with the idea of a conversation with the man being recorded.

"He won't see me with back up" he mentions desperate to talk to the man alone. The team did need to know about the situation with the Russian, and Harry, Lucas thought savagely, would probably go through a heart attack. As Harry shook his head Lucas started to panic, his head swimming as he tried to keep a grasp on logical reasoning, he needed to be alone, he needed…_Ruth…_the name popped into his head like a calming balm soothing him and brining him pack into control. He knew what he needed to do because he knew Oleg as well as Oleg knew him.

"I'll wear a wire," he declares before grapping his jacket and leaving the room. He takes a short walk to the toilet before breaking down on a cubicle floor.

* * *

Ruth was cold, and that scared her. It was dark, too dark for just nighttime darkness where there would always be hints of light: stars, traffic lights, the reflection on the moon on the sea. She looked up to find a black material wall, she tried to move, but felt the unbearable sensation of something cutting into her skin. She looked down: cable ties around her wrists, pinning them to her back. Her whole world shook and she cried out in slight pain as it stilled again. It was noisy outside, cars? She peered around her quarters and noticed with growing dread that she was in a car boot. She closed her eyes…_Harry…_she called out with her mind, but there was no answer, how could there be? She closed her eyes again preparing for the worse. Another jolt….a screech on breaks, she cried as she felt herself roll towards back seats, hitting them hard. She heard laughter. Russians… she cursed herself for not being better prepared, she had grown complacent: no longer did she only take main streets, no longer did she carry a gun, hidden in the folds of her dresses. How stupid she had been to think that the crazy world she had once been part of would leave her alone. Light…Bright light, too bright and those voices, she recognized one of them as her initial captor.

"We have arrived Ruth, I suggest you remain quiet" Ruth stared at him uncomprehendingly trying to blink into the sun, how long had she been out? How far had they journeyed? The grey sky with dominated her eye sight seemed a million miles from the bright blue of Cyprus. Where had they taken her?

"Where?" the words were on her lips as two men grasped at her pulling her from her cramp hiding place: the boot of a jaguar saloon Ruth noted as she turned around. Her attention turned back to the Russian and was shocked and a little scared to find herself nose to nose with him. She takes a shaky step back horrified that, with whatever length of the journey, her muscles had grown stiff and her joints were not working. She almost collapses to the floor. Oleg smirked at her, since meeting her he had been completely shocked and curious as to what his…. Lucas… had seen in her. She was attractive and clearly intelligent, but not the sort of girl he could have pictured Lucas with. Uncertainty crossed his mind maybe he had the wrong girl after all.

"Come" he ordered and Ruth let out a wild call of struggle as his men dragged her into the empty council estate house. "Take her upstairs and keep her quiet," he orders, he had someone he needed to see.

The car was quiet, the two females in the front glancing in their rear view at the man in the back. It had been Harry who had found him, mumbling about a girl in the toilets. They both knew that Harry was angry at six, but now he was actually on British soil it was damn near impossible to palm the mission of to any other section. Besides Ros noted glancing at the shell of Lucas North, she would have had a near riot on her hands if Harry had even openly suggested it.

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"How do you want me to play it?" Lucas spoke, his voice sounded strange as he glared out of the window, he was angry at the way he had let his emotions control him but angrier still that it had been Harry who had found him. That it had been Harry who had comforted him as Lucas tried to pull himself back from the cell… from Oleg. It had been different, whatever it was that was plaguing him Lucas was sure it wasn't a flash back, Ruth had never appeared in the cell. Ros was talking, Lucas tuned her out, he knew how he was going to play it but he just needed to make sure his section chief didn't know he was in control.

"Tell us about him?" Jo cut through Lucas's thoughts and he looked back into the car vaguely curious. Jo seemed to quail under his glare from the back seat. Ros nodded in approval, time to see how much he is attached she thought an earlier conversation with Harry flashing through her mind.

"What do you want to know?" Lucas replied a dangerous smile playing on his lips, Ros looked quickly in the rear mirror and back at the country lanes they were currently going through. "That he strapped me down and waterboarded me for 24 hours straight?" he watched Jo wilt under his words and Ros glare at him. He rolled his eyes all of that information was in his debrief and he knew that Ros and Jo had gone over that particular file with a fine tooth comb trying to find anything on Oleg. He also knew exactly what they would find: nothing. He had answered the questions he had been given and at the time they centered on his cell mate Kachimov, not on Oleg. The occupants lapsed back into silence and for some reason Lucas felt the strong urge to say…something about the older Russian.

"He was obsessed with Britain, particularly its literature and language". That simple statement caused them both to be confused, and he smiled leaning back. Neither of them had been in any long-term prison cells, and from experience Lucas knew the shorter they were the less likely they would know their torturer didn't actually like torturing. His mind flicked over some of them he had had, none for the length of time of Oleg. They had enjoyed it because they hadn't known him. They hadn't understood that everyone that was at that prison was there because of their job and nothing more. To those, infrequent passer bys all he had been was a traitor.

"We are here" Ros stated putting the handbreak on, Lucas closed his eyes briefly then opened them; leaning forward he took in the familiar scene of the Tilbury docks, the way the grey sky blending with the grey concrete of the buildings and the grey water of the Thames.

"I'll go in alone" he spoke quietly leaving no room for argument as he unclipped himself and got out of the Volvo. Ros nodded cutting through any objection that her younger female officer might have had.

"Fine, but Lucas, do NOT loose your wire" Ros orders pulling out a laptop and some headphones to be able to process all the information. Lucas nods absent-mindedly; he knew Oleg would already have some kind of plan for this. He turned and took a short walk away from the car surveying the landscape. He did not think about the way he had played as a child there, he did not think of his father, and he did not think of Oleg…_Ruth…_He looked up into the blinding light of reflected sun off of a mirror. With a glance back at the car he moved towards it.

As he neared the location he noticed a smaller concrete building he moved inside it and noticed a neatly folded boiler suit, blue of course, and a mobile phone. He moved fully inside smiling slightly, Oleg always had a backup plan. The phone rings and he picks it up. They pause for a moment, both men listening to the others breathing, that was what happened in the dark… after Lucas had finished screaming. All there had been was breathing.

"Put on the boiler suit" The command is consistent with Lucas's memories and he carefully and delicately puts the mobile phone exactly back in its place, he then begins to unclothe. Each garment removed is another layer of himself peeled off, another piece of his shattered broken life put back together. The boiler suit embodied the shell that Lucas had been in the prison, he was now a prisoner, and there was no going back from this meeting. Lucas was fully aware that the back up planning he had been predicting was not for the wire but more for Oleg, a last ditch of authority over his ex-prisoner. He carefully and neatly folded his clothes up and placed them where the boiler suit had once been. His ear's pick up breathing, and he freezes, his eyes lowered waiting for the next command.

"He's ditched his wire!" Jo exclaims, one foot out of the door. Ros shakes her head.

"We can still hear what's going on" Ros said quietly tapping a few buttons on her keyboard, a Russian voice filled the car, Ros noted with surprise he was speaking English but was concerned at the way the Russian was treating her friend. She looks at Jo, who had since climbed back in and shut the door. To all ears it appeared that Lucas was still the prisoner.

"Turn around" the voice commanded at Lucas. Ros saw Jo flinch and the traces of fear on her younger friends face. It was a hard life being a female but for a brief moment they were getting a glimpse into the hard lives of a male too.

"Do not talk to me" Oleg called again and they heard a very faint whimper from a different voice, Lucas's voice.

"Oh my God" Jo exclaims as they both stare at the concrete building where they knew Lucas was, listening to every word as it was said.

"You do not talk to me without my permission" Oleg cut in, Lucas kept his eyes downcast, looking somewhere between his superior's feet and his own. He felt rather than saw the look of approval on Oleg's face. "Very well Mr. North" he says and indicates that the two could then proceed on some vaguely common ground. Lucas looks up, meeting the older man's gaze but his posture: his hunched back, his ashen face, these don't change. Lucas knew he was still very much on the back foot.

"What do you want Oleg" he says very carefully, he had considered speaking in Russian, however realized that such an underhand method of trying to cloud Ros and Jo was fruitless. They would just phone up a translator. When Oleg pauses Lucas presses forward. "We don't have long before they come and find me" he states, his voice sounded off to him, deeper. He desperately tries to reign in some stray thoughts. Oleg surveys him carefully smiling slightly.

"A few weeks ago" he begins, pausing slightly, "there was a new arrival in Lushanka" he hears Lucas's change of breath, he vaguely smiles, even the name still had an effect on his former captive. "He had been caught on the North-Chechnya border." Lucas moves forward involuntarily as he pays even closer attention to what the Russian had to say. "He was training for a terror attack".

"An attack where?" Lucas asked, annoyed at how feeble and weak his voice sounded, Oleg surveyed him and Lucas swallowed then licked his lips trying to get some moisture back into his mouth.

"Here" Oleg replies back harshly. "In the UK" He shakes his head slightly. "After a little chat we discovered the details". Lucas flinches his mind dragging him back to a blackened room, the stale smell of urine and sweat filled is nostrils the sound of him screaming rung once again in his ears. Then the softer moments of a different mans quiet breathing of promises that it would stop. Lucas drags himself back into the present hoping that Oleg hadn't seen his reaction. One look of the smile playing on the Russian's features caused Lucas's heart to sink. Nonetheless Oleg carries on pretending to be oblivious. "A major attack" he states and notices the shift from Lucas the fallen to Lucas the spook. "It is already in final stages of preparation, a team of five operatives all Sudanese born but having been brought up in Britain". Oleg stops. He had given the other man enough information to be getting on with. Lucas stares at him trying to piece together what the other man had told him, he wanted to run his hands over his face but in the presence of Oleg and in a boiler suit his body did not respond to his demands. Oleg smiles, taunting him. Lucas looks at him aware that there might be more.

"What?" he says wearily as the Russian crossed through the small room towards him, Lucas takes an involuntary step backwards, towards his clothes. Oleg pauses, noticing his slightly reluctance with disdain.

"Ruth…I have her," he says and watches Lucas go through emotions of fear, surprise, sadness and others that the Russian could not begin describe or mention.

"What do you want?" he whispers desperate to try and find a different way out of this situation…_Ruth…_

"A British passport, and 1 million dollars, all in mixed and used currencies" Oleg declares confirming Lucas's earlier thoughts that his former captor was truly on the run from the FSB. Think Lucas think he calls out to himself.

"And the attack…?" Lucas asks taking the subject away from those discussions, the ones that happen at the very dead of night you think that no one is really listening.

"You will get the location and time" he declared, he paused an idea coming to him "or Ruth". Without a backward glance he left leaving Lucas to his deepest, most innermost fears.

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**Boom! the location or Ruth...what does everyone think?**

**Please read and review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys,**

**So this is quite a short...more of a filler chapter but focussed on Ruth...please someone say I have (minus the Harry thingy) got her character right I am so worried about her! Anyways lets have a little response session from our reviewers:**

**Batteredpen- Thank you, is Ruth still in character of have I done something wrong? I wanted to emphasise her traumatic childhood would still effect her, especially if held captive by a male but I was wondering your view on this? I hope that the story keeps you not guessing as it were and more importantly keeps you reading. **

**Wolfdrum- yes it does seem to be going that way doesn't it? he cannot easily get help from the team without revealing his past but what if the team uncover that Ruth is captive for him? how would that help him? I don't know before you answer I haven't planned the ending yet!****  
**

**Guest 1- Here is what happens next!**

**To all you other readers out there please review, remember encouragement and friendly criticism makes the next chapter an awful lot better to read!**

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**Dark Horse: Chapter 4**

The sun beat down, warming her legs and face as she poured over a book, just a little way away she could hear her friends excited chatter with a group of lads…the group of lads from last night. She paused, her hand stroking the edge of the book as she pondered what had happened last night and whether it was the drink, odd food or sun that was making her feel on edge every time _that _particular guy sat next to her. She sighed in frustration and turned back to her book trying to concentrate on the story in front of her, taunting her with a tale of love, danger and mystery. The very embodiment of John, the handsome man from last night.

"Ruth" She looked up, lifting her head up slightly and looking over her toes to the direction of her name, her friend Rosetta, Ruth smiled slightly waving as her blonde friend walked towards her. Ruth's eyes darted to the rest of the players of the Volleyball and noticed with a sense of dread that they were giving themselves a rest; cringing internally she noticed the group of males, now down to their swimming trunks, walking towards them. Her eyes briefly flicked through the group trying to remember there names: Max, Lucas, Steve and, of course John. As her girls got closer she attempted to rip her eyes away from John and is perfectly cultivated muscles.

"Rosie!" Ruth exclaimed as she sat down, her friend returned her smile and fished around in the icebox pulling out a Coke. "Aren't you going to go for another round?" Ruth asked hopefully, the playing worked well: it allowed Ruth to read, watch the guys and pretend to be totally nonchalant about a certain guy that was currently trying to stick to their group like glue. Rosie gave a wry smile knowing exactly what Ruth was asking for. The two girls were interrupted by a distinct and very recognizable voice.

"The lads have gone to get something stronger" he noted, nodding in the direction of Ruth's two other friends walking further down the beach with John's two friends…what were their names? Steve and Max.

"Would you like a swim?" A different voice asked, his strong accent appeared to practically melt the girl next to him and Ruth was shocked, she would be getting married in a week, and here she was swooning over some unknown male. Well…not entirely unknown, they did at least know his name. Rosie seemed to be following a similar thought process, as she seemed to snap out of it looking slightly crestfallen. Ruth, despite not wanting to be left alone with the man who was currently staring at her, equally disliked her friend looking sad.

"Oh go on Rosie…enjoy your last moments free!" she exclaimed, slightly pushing the girl forward. The girl took one look at her, and then at John her eyes flicking towards them before she smiled and took off towards the water giving Lucas little chance but to follow. Ruth sighed and turned back to her book.

"Did I offend you last night?" Ruth looked up, stifling a laugh at how her male companion looked serious, his blue eyes showing real concern that he may have messed up. Oh he was a puppy dog Ruth thought silently, but as she looked closer she saw what she had seen last night, he may be soft but there was also hardness there. She had seen that sort of depth with… she cut off her thoughts there and then. That male did not deserve to be with her under the sun even if it was in her thoughts. Be careful Ruth she thought savagely reining in her feelings.

"No" Ruth answered trying to sound distracted as she perused her book once again.

"Then why are you avoiding me?" God! Ruth thought he sounds like a five year old, she carefully glanced at him, hoping her sunglasses hid the direction her eyes were moving. He was gazing at her intently, as if trying to see and memorize everything. Ruth sighed and put her book down looking directly at him, feeling him stiffen under the examination.

"I am here with my friends on a honey moon! I am not looking for anything other than a good time with my friends". She went to move away but was caught under his gaze, now she had a feeling what those rabbits felt like in the middle of the road, except her headlights were bright blue.

"Then maybe we should try and have a good time then?" John replied and now it was Ruth's turn to be puzzled as she tried to work out this latest turn of events. Is he asking to be my friend? She thought, she looked out towards the sea, the same bright blue as her companion's eyes. It took her all of two seconds to do decide on what she should say. Call his bluff Ruth she thought, and then at least she would have an excuse to ditch him and his whole group. She nodded and as she did she practically felt the air whoosh out of the younger males lungs. He lay town on the towel next to her looking at the sky. Stretch out, Ruth noticed his toned body looked flawless; there was not a mark on it. Book! Read! Now! She commanded herself.

Ruth woke up, her eyes trained on the ceiling above her. It was not a high ceiling and looked vaguely familiar. Images for times spent at her gran's 60's house filled her mind as she continued to look at the polyester ceiling tiles. England she thought dispassionately. How she longed for that sun in her dream. She shivered slightly and as she did she processed the fact that she wasn't tied up. What she had thought was bounding her up was a bed, a bed with quite a number of blankets on it, bundling her up against the cold. She smiled in spite of herself: definitely like my grans, the flash of happiness disappeared quickly and confusion replaced it. Whoever held her captive wanted her in good health, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not, sometimes, considering her past experiences, it would be better off if her captor wanted her dead. That she could understand. That would mean she wasn't a bartering chip. She felt and heard the whole house creak as a heavy-ish man stomped up the stairs. Images of how her step brother had once made a noise like that on a very similar set of stairs came flooding into her causing her to choke out a sob, leaning back into the pillow she closed her eyes. Her face flushed from her increased heart rate and it took all of her will power to stay on the bed and silent as a key turned in a lock.

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Lucas got back into the car, he could feel the eyes of his two female colleagues on him, hear their unanswered and unspoken questions on their lips. He sighed, his mind crammed with the memory of what just happened…_he has found Ruth... _somehow the happiness of his previous captor and… finding the girl from so long ago was is quickly dissipated by the next thought of her, that little mouse, alone with the equivalent of a lion. He leaned back against the seat, feeling the car start he closed his eyes trying to clear his head.

"Who is Ruth?" Ros said as they pulled out onto a country road, she was silent, staring ahead to give him chance to think. That was so rare in their line of work: time to think, that Ros made a point of allowing each and everyone of her friends to be allowed to work out what to answer. She glanced at Jo whose face was set in stone glaring out of the car window, Ros sighed, she had felt the chasm that was left by their Ruth at the very start of her career. She knew that any namesake in any investigation was going to pull up some bad memories, Jo had been close to her but from what Ros had seen and heard Harry had been closer still. It the mere mention of a name was affecting Jo she was curious to find out what Harry's reaction would be.

"No one" Lucas said finally, his eyes closed, his face appearing to be relaxed, however looking closer Ros could see a vein pulsing in the side of his neck, his hands were just that fraction too taut despite them resting on his knees. The man radiated tension. Ros didn't believe him for a moment but wanted to wait until Harry was able to speak to the younger man. Jo surprised everyone by asking the next, most obvious but less than tactful question.

"How does she measure up to details of a major terrorist operation?" Lucas looked at her, a range of emotions crossing his face as he desperately fought to keep his feelings in check, he knew that Ruth didn't justify over 1000 deaths, but…conceal, don't feel he kept chanting. He felt himself relax and the corner of his lips moved upwards by ½ a centimeter as he felt his face grow blank. He was now in control, and he could only answer questions when he was in control.

"She doesn't" he states simply before looking up at grey sky shivering slightly, his only betray of emotions however if it was from the cold, fear or anger Lucas wasn't sure…although he reasoned it possibly wasn't the cold because, after Russia it was impossible to be cold enough to shiver in the UK. He closed his eyes picturing only a sandy beach and a girl…_Ruth…_

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